In this episode, Vancouver criminal defense lawyer and Driving Law podcast host Kyla Lee unpacks Canada’s criminal justice system, tackling listener questions on bail, sentencing, and mental health treatment. From the nuances of bail hearings and the presumption of innocence to the principles of sentencing like deterrence and rehabilitation, Kyla offers expert insights into how courts address crime, trauma, and addiction. She also explores controversial topics like involuntary treatment, the impact of Gladue reports for Indigenous offenders, and the challenges of prison overcrowding, while proposing solutions like supportive housing to address root causes of crime.
The Start-Up Business Class
On April 11, 2018, regulations for the Start-Up Business Class (the “Start-Up Business Class”) came into effect. The regulations slightly modify the program that has been in effect since April 1, 2013. Both applicants as well as designated entities should be aware of the changes.
Borderlines Podcast #163 – Mini Flash Update on Work Permit Issues
Deanna and Steve discuss an internal IRCC document listing numerous challenges that employers are having with IRCC, including processing delays, security screening, the BC PNP, high points in Express Entry, and more.
Employment Reference Letters and Immigration
Most Canadian economic immigration programs require that applicants have qualifying work experience. In order to demonstrate that past and current positions qualify, applicants are required to provide references letters from their employers. Such reference letters must state the position title, duration, duties and wage. Prospective immigrants who are obtaining reference letters should understand how officers determine whether specific employment experience meets program eligibility requirements, why reference letters are needed and how immigration officers will assess them. Relying on the NOC system In determining whether work experience is qualifying, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) relies on the Government of Canada’s national occupational classification (or NOC) system. In the federal skilled worker class, for example, applicants need to have within the 10 years before they apply at least one year of full-time work experience, or the equivalent of part-time work, in their primary occupation that is listed on the NOC website as being skilled. In the Canadian experience class, meanwhile, applicants need to show that they have acquired in Canada, within the three years before the date on which they apply for permanent residence, at least one year of full-time work experience in one or more occupations that are listed on … Read More
Temporary Suspensions of Removals
As per the CBSA website, Canadas Temporary Suspension of Removals (“TSR”) program interrupts removals to a country or place when general conditions pose a risk to the entire civilian population. Examples include armed conflict within a country or place or an environmental disaster resulting in a substantial temporary disruption of living conditions. An individual who is not allowed into Canada on grounds of criminality, international or human rights violations, organized crime, or security can still be removed despite the TSR. Canada currently has a TSR in place for Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Iraq. The primary difference between the TSR and the Administrative Deferral of Removals (“ADR”) are that an ADR is generally put in place within a short period of time to immediately respond to a change in country conditions. Jurisprudence In the Humanitarian & Compassionate (“H&C”) contest, Justice Grant assessed the significance of a TSR as being: The TSR program interrupts removals to a country or place when general conditions pose a risk to the entire civilian population. Examples include armed conflict within a country or place or an environmental disaster resulting in a substantial temporary disruption of living conditions. An individual who is not allowed … Read More
Intention to Reside in Quebec
Regulation 90(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (the “IRPR”) identifies who qualifies as a member of the Quebec investor class. Under this provision, a foreign national is considered part of this class if two criteria are met: (a) they intend to reside in the province of Quebec, and (b) they are named in a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) issued by the Quebec government. Jurisprudence In Quan v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2022 FC 576, Justice Gascon ruled that procedural fairness does not require that officers specifically warn applicants prior to interviews that they may be concerned about intention to reside in Quebec. He wrote: As pointed out by the Minister, this Court has determined on several occasions that immigration officers have no obligation to share their concerns regarding the evidence submitted in support of a permanent residence application when these concerns arise directly from one of the requirements of the statutes and regulations (Naboulsi v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2019 FC 1651, at para 92; Zeeshan v Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2013 FC 248 at paras 33, 46; Rukmangathan v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2004 FC 284 at para 23). In the case of … Read More
IRCC/ESDC Employer Compliance Inspections
All employers of temporary foreign workers in Canada need to understand how the employer compliance regime works. Both Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) as well as the Department of Employment and Social Development (“ESDC”) regularly audit and inspect the employers of foreign workers to make sure that they are complying with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and/or the International Mobility Program (which are the two main programs through which foreign nationals can work in Canada). Both ESDC and IRCC have indicated that about 25% of employers can expect an inspection in any given year. Most of these inspections and audits start with the employer receiving a letter from the Government of Canada informing them that they will be examined on a multitude of factors, including whether they have employed the foreign national in the job that they were supposed to, whether they paid the wages that they were supposed to, whether the employer complied with laws regulating employment, whether they maintained records and whether they took reasonable efforts to provide a workplace that was free of abuse. I have embedded below the standard employer compliance letter that is sent out at the start of an audit. Consequences of Non-Compliance Here … Read More
The Post-Graduation Work Permit
Canada’s Post-Graduate Work Permit (“PGWP”) program (the “PGWPP“) allows international students who have completed certain Canadian post-secondary programs to obtain work permits after graduating. The work permits are open, meaning that the graduates can work for any employer in any Canadian province. It is a fantastic program that enhances the competitiveness of Canadian post-secondary institutions internationally, and is normally an essential transitory step for international graduates looking to eventually obtain Canadian permanent residency. However, every year there are many international students who mistakenly think that they will be eligible to participate in the program after graduating only to discover midway through their studies that they cannot. It is accordingly very important that all international students in Canada understand how the PGWP program works. Basis in Law Section 205 of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations provides the government with the authority to create programs to issue work permits to foreign nationals when it is satisfied that public policy objectives relating to the competiveness of Canada’s economy or academic institutions are met. The PGWPP is one of these programs, and detailed information about it can be found on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC“) website here. As the Federal Court … Read More